Method of and means for erecting tunnels



Feb. 19 1.924. 1484,13

J. F. OROURKE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR BRECTING TUNNELS Filed Nov. 11, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fa/an wazzwke Feb. 19 1924.

J, F. OROURKE METHOD OF AND MEANS Foil sascwme 'wnnmls 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Nov. 11 1919 Feb. 19 ,1924.

J. .F. O'ROURKE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR snacwme TUNNELS Filed Nov. 11. 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet I u EIII I Patented Feb; 19,1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN F. OROURKE, or NEW YORK, 11. Y

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ERECTING TUNNELS.

Application filed November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,286.

T all whom it M ay con oer n Be it known that I, JOHN F. ORoURKn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, borough of Manhattan, 6 in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Means for Erecting Tunnels, of which the following is a specification.

The practice heretofore, as known to me, in the erection of tunnel lining rings in shield-driven tunnels has been to erect the rings upon the interior surface of the bottom of the tail of the shield which was restricted'to a diameter slightly reater than that of the tunnel. This was done to provide enough clearance to prevent the shield from binding on the tunnel lining and there never has been. to my knowledge, any other reason for such clearance. As the shield cannot be driven exactly to a prescribed line and grade at all times this has resulted incausing the tunnel lining to be out of its proper position whenever the shield was itself not in desired position, thus involving the tunnel in the same inaccuracy of grade and alignment at the tail of the shield that existed in-the shield eachtiine a ring was erected therein. v a An object of my invention is to obviate the aforesaid inaccuracy in tunnel lining within a shield, and to enable the rings of thelining to be set in required position within the tail of the shield not"- withstanding deviation of the shield from its desired position.

In carrying out my invention I provide means within the tail of a shield to support and retain a lining ring during erection in 40 its required position spaced from the inner wall of the tail of the shield, sufficient clearance space being provided all around between the lining ring and the interior surface of the tail-of the shield to allow for error in position of the shield, such space being greater than the error of position that a carefully driven shield would exceed. Experience has shown that where a shield is driven by a competent operator it can usually be kept within one inch of its true po-. sition and it is uncommon for such error of position to be greater than two inches, so that if a clearance space twoinches wide all around between the tunnel lining and the inner surface of the tail of the shield is rial departure of the tunnel from the reprovided the tunnel lining can be set to line and grade in accordance with my invention, notwithstanding such deviation of the shield from line and grade. Therefore, in accordance with my invention the shield is driven with reference to its axis instead of the bot-' tom of its tail as heretofore, so that its variations may be avoided in the tunnel itself by reason of the clearance in all directions being greater than the probable variation of the axis of the shield 'from line and grade. In order that the tail of the shield should be kept as nearly as possible equi- "distant from the tunnel lining all around it,

the axis of the tunnel and that of the shield should coincide. Any departure of the shield from this iswhat has to be corrected in erecting the tunnel. By means of my invention it is always possible to avoid matequired line and grade. Means suitable for supporting the segments or blocks of the lining ring being-erected within the tail of the shield, notwithstanding deviation of the shield from its true or desired position at any point of operation, will be hereinafter described.

It will be .understood that, however accurately the work of erecting a tunnel lining within the tail of a shield is carried out,

the erection of aMmeasures should be taken to retain the lining in position as erected and prevent it from settling down into the space in the excavation back of the shield that is greater in diameter than. the diameter of the tunnel lining. Such retaining of the lining may be accomplished by means shown in Letters Patent granted to me July 31, 1917, No. 1235233, wherein loose solid material is injected into the space; around the lining 95 within the excavation as the shield is shoved forward, whereby immediate support is given to the tunnel lining around its whole circumference and retaining the linin in correct position in the excavation. uch solid material within the excavation aroundv the tunnel lining in conjunction with my present improvements within the shield enables the lining rings to be set and retained in true position unaffected by error which may arise in the position of the shield when it is shoved. I also provide means co-o crating between the tunnel lining and the shield at the tail of the latter to prevent the aforesaid loose solid material from entering no .ing tunnels which may be generally 0f any well known construction, within the tail of which shield a tunnel lining is to be erected.

thickness the shield at its tail and interfering with the clearance between the tail of the shield and the tunnel lining, which clearance is re- Fig. l is a detail section illustrating a variation from Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of the lining segment supporting and spacing means;

and 1 Fig. 7 is a sectional detail form of said means. In

Similar numerals of reference iindicate corresponding parts in the several vietvs.

The numeral 1 indicates a shield for drivof a modified The tunnel lining indicated comprises segments or blocks 2 erected within the tail of the shield in ring like form in a usual manner. The segments or blocksare shown having recesses 3 on one side. and projections 4 on the opposite side, the projections of one block entering recesses of the adjacent block in well known manner, such as are shown in Letters Patent No. 1,043,348. The segments or blocks 2 may have rods 5 provided with screw threads at one end to engage threaded nuts or sockets 6 at the opposite end of an adjacent rod whereby the successive blocks mBay be tied together as they are erected,

1g. 3 iFig. ti. It will be understood, however, that tunnel lining rings of any desired construction may be used in connection-with my invention.

I have shown adjustable or expansible means interposed between the inner surface of the tail of the shield andthe segment of the lining to be erected to retain said segment properly spaced from the shield in accordance with the true position of the tun nel lining, whatever positionthetail of the shield may be in with respect to such true position, as follows: A spacing member A comprises opposing blocks 7, 8 having correspondingly inclined opposing co-operating faces, which members may be adjusted longitudinally one upon another to vary the thereof, as required, according to the width of the space 10 receiving such member between the tail of the shield and the segment or block 2 to be erected. The

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of said means, I

granted to me Nov. 5, 1912,:

adjusted or such tie rods may be omitted b e gra e for'the tunnel lining at such point, whereby when the segment or block is set in asa ee block 7 is shown provided with two spaced lower inclined faces 7 operative upon two spaced upper inclined faces 8 on block 8, said blocks thereby being substantially wedge-like in function, whereby the height of the spacing member may be varied by adjusting the blocks 7, 8 lengthwise. The upper and lower surfaces of the blocks 7, 8, are preferably plane whereby the block 8 may rest snugly and-firmly against the inner surface of the tail of the shield and the segment 2 may bear snugly against the plane face of the block 7. I The blocks are shown provided with retainers 11 on one block 0perative in slots 12 in the other block, where by said blocks are retained from lateral displacement one upon another and may have longitudinal adjustment. The retainers 11 are shown in the form of screws entering holes in block 8 and having heads in longitudinal recesses 12* of block 7, whereby said heads are below the plane surface of said block notto. interfere with segment 2. The retainers 11 are shown provided with nuts 9 located in recesses 9 in the under surface of block 8 sees not to interfere with the shield. By means of said screws and nuts the blocks 7, 8' may be'clamped tightly together to prevent displacement of the looks from set position. The retainers 11'- are shown protruding beyond block 8 and are adapted to ,be entered in recesses 13 formed in the inner surface of the skin of the tail of the shield, whereby the spacing members are retained in proper position against displacement when the segments 2,

are erected and when the shield is shoved. The spacingmember will be placed in position where the segment or block 2 is to be erected, ,and said spacing member will be as to thickness iii accordance with the distance from the inner surface of the shield to the true circumference at which the outer surface of the segment or block should laced according to the true line and position-it will rest against such spacing member to retain the segment or block in desired position. One of said spacing members may oppose a segment 2, or two or more of said spacing members in 'spacedrelation may be placed against the shield to receive a segment or block to be erected (Fig. 1), for the lower segments or blocks of the lining ring at least up to the segments or blocks set at the spring line. The spacin members A described may be ferent thicknesses when collapsed or normal, adapted to increase in thickness when expanded lengthwise wherebyvthe ap )ropriate spacing members may be used an fitted to the tai of the shield according to the width of space 10 between the shield and the se ment to be erected. Instead of using tge made of di 'A which may be relatively thin,

two-part expansible spacing members described any other suitable form of spacing members may be used, such as suitable plates or wedges. In Fig. 7 I have shown plates one of i which ma be used or several may be superserve to imposed, coated in the space '10 between the shield and the segment to be erected, to re-' ceive' said segment according to the dimension of said space. The retainers 11 project through and from said spacing plates, ex-

tending into the recesses 13 in the shield to retain the plates from displacement.

\Vhen the segments or blocks of the ring have been set the rams of jacks 14 are erated against such ring to shove the shield,- and the spacing members will be drawn with the shield, sliding along the segments into position to oppose new segments -to be set for the succeeding ring, and so on, the thickness of the spacing members forthe new ring being provided for as required by adjustment of the corresponding spacing members as the work proceeds.

The advantage of having the spacing members provided with adjustable blocks having inclined surfaces enables the'spacing members to be adjusted as to thickness as required, while at the same time retaining the inner and outer plane surfaces. thereof respectively parallel so as to rovide an extended bearing against the tai of the shield and against the segments or blocks 2 in a longitudinal direction of the shield and lining.

In the case of tunnels comprising concrete segments or blocks 2, the interior surface of which becomes the finished surface of the tunnel, it is of great importance that the tunnel lining be set in correct position and there held, and by means of my invention this very important object can be readily and expeditiously attained, since whether the space be correct or incorrect in width the spacing members of required thickness may be readily set against the tail of the shield to cause the segments or blocks when set against such spacing members, as by the erector 15, to belocated in the correct position.

Since the aforesaid spacing members permit the erection of the tunnel rings wit cording to plan it is important to retain and support the tunnel lining in such position when the shieldv is shoved andathe spacing membersmove awayfromj. and release the segments of the ring last erected. Such supporting of the lining, behind the tail of the shield, maybe accomplished by injectin loose solid material B in the space around the lining in the excavation behind the shield, which may-gbe' accomplished by blow ing/gravel or other suitable solid material into such space to retain the lining, such as.

tion.

in the shield in true position acset forth in my aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,235,233. By injecting such sol-id material in the excavation as the shield is being shoved forwardly said solid material immediately supports the lining ring at the tail of the shield as the spacing means before described is'drawn away from the lining, whereby the latter is retained in true posi- A complete lining rin may remain partly or wholly within the tail of the shield when a new ring is to be erected therein, the tie bars- 5 or grouting in the joints .retaining the new ring whereIthespaCing members passtherefrom (Fig 3), or in the case of cast iron segments the bolts connecting the parts will retain the last ring set, the solid material B supporting the-lining free from the shield. .In some cases the tail of the shield may pass entirely or nearl so, from the last lining ring erected, in wlli the spacing members will be near the tail end of the shield for the new ring to be erected (Fig. 4:), the solid material B supporting the lining as said spacing members pass therefrom when the shield is shoved. In any of such cases deviation of the shield, when shoved, from a true position will not affect the true setting of a new ring, since he material B supports the lining for the placing of the spacing members of the re quired thickness for the new ring to be erected. I

To prevent the inflow of the solid material B from the excavation into the tail of the shield I secure an annular member 16, preferably spring-like, to the inner surface of the tail of the shield, which member 16 projects rearwardly, preferably beyond the tail of the shield, to oppose the lining circumferentially. Said member may be screwed or riveted t0 the shield- The free annular edge of member 16 is provided with a rearwardly extending flexible member 18 to bear against the tunnel lining. The solid material B may pack against the exterior of the members 16 and 18 behind the shield, and water seeking to enter the tunnel and the shield at its tail will be excluded by forcing member 18 against the tunnel lining.

The foregoing arrangement is useful whether the tunnel be driven with or without the use of compressed air within the shield and tunnel. When compressed air is oh event so used I provide a second annular member 1 -16,-preferably spring-like, screwed or rivetedwithln the tail of. the shield, projecting forwardly and toward the lining to oppose it circumferentia'lly. The free annular edge of member 16 is provided with a forwardly tunnel lining and members 16 and 16 may .in required line and 65 in a shield driven tunnel be kept under reduced pressure or partialvacuum by means of a pipe or passage 21 within the skinofthe shield communicating through orifice22 with space 20 and connected with a-vacuum machine. Water that may enter said space 20 may be removed therefronrthrough a passage 23 in the bottom of the skin of the shield communicating through a pipe 24 (Fig. .3), with any suitable :suction apparatus.

In myt lzetters Patent No. 1,296,312, issued March 4 5193191; a means is shown for excluding water from the tunnel and the space between itfand thetailof the shield by means of a flexiblmprojection secured to a distensible packing tube. As the clearance space in my present invention must be protected from loose solid material becoming packed therein l, have shown member 16 as extending beyond'the tail of the shield with its flexible member 18 rearwardly disposed and forming anexterior' valve to exclude gravel or the like from passing into the shield at the time Qitgis being packed around the tunnel lining in'the space left by the shield,

as distinguished from the flexible packing in mysaid patent that is located inwardly from the tail end of the shield, leaving a space within such tail open to the excavationbehind fromzwhich loose solid material may .be forced into such space. The aforesaid fiexible member 16 may automatically fit itselflsnugly with its valve-like member 18 against the tunnel lining all around when the axes of the shield and lining coincide or when they do not coincide by reason of deviation of the shield from line and grade, whereby in either such case to exclude solidmaterial and water from the tail. of the shield.

. Having thus described my invention, what- I claim and desine to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of erecting a lining ring in a tunnel shield, consisting in setting a plurality. "of spacing means within the shield, arranging said means so that the inner surfaces thereof will be at uniform distances from the line and grade of the axis of the tunnel, and thereafterplacing a lining ring upon said spacing means.

2. The .method of erecting a lining ring 1 consisting in placin spacing means within the tail of a shield with the faces of said means equidistant from the axis of the line and grade of the tunnel, and setting the lining ring against said faces to locatethe axis of the ring in the .axis of the tunnel line and grade.

3. The method of erecting va tunnel lining, consisting in successively setting and supporting the lining rings within a shield rad; independently of the position-of the.

resales 4. The method of. erecting a tunnel lining ring, consisting in successively setting and supporting the ring within the shield in required line and grade independently of the position of the shield, advancing the shield and filling the space between the said lining and the wall of the excavation with within and against the lower half of the,

shield, the inner surfaces of which conform to the outer surface of the lining when the latter is in line and grade, placing the said lining uprn said supports, and thereafter injecting packing material behind said lin- The method of erecting and supporting a tunnel lining within a shield, comprising setting supports of variable thicknesses within and against the lower half of the shield, the inner surfaces of which conform to the outer surface of the lining when the latter is in line and grade, placing the said lining upon said supports, shoving the shield forward, and thereafter inserting packing material behind'said lining.

8. The combination of a tunnel shield, and spacin members of difierent depths interposed between the wall of the shield and a lining, for holding the lining in desired relation to the axis of the tunnel.

9. The, combination of a tunnel shield, and adjustable lining engaging members interposed between the tail of said shield and the lining.

10. The combination of a tunnel shield with spacing means within the tail thereof I with spacing means within the tail thereof.

to keep linin rings out of contact therewith and spaced therefrom, and means to detach: ably connect said spacing means to the tail of the shield.

12. The combination of a tunnel shield; having apertures at the tail thereof, with spacing means having projections to engage said apertures to retain said spacing means inset position against the tail of the shield. 13. The combination of a tunnel shield with spacing means at the tail thereof com- V prising a plurality of superimposed members having meansjto retain them in set position upon one another.

14. The combination of a tunnel shield with spacing means at the tail thereof comprising a plurality of superimposed members having co-operativeinclined faces, and means to retain said members in set position one upon another.

15. The combination of a tunnel shield with spacing means at the tail thereof com prising a plurality of superimposed members havingsco-operative inclined faces, said members having interengaging screws and slots to retain the members in set position.

16. The combination of a tunnel shield with spacing means at the tail thereof comprising a plurality of superimposed memhers having co-operative inclined faces, said members having interengaglng screws and slots to retain the members in set position,

' said screws projecting from said members to engage apertures 'in the tail of the shield.

17. Spacing means for tunnel shields comrising a plurality of superimposed members having opposing inclined faces, and means to retain said members in set position one u on another.

' 18. pacing means for tunnel shields comprising a plurality of superimposed members having opposing inclined faces, said members having inter-engaging screws and longitudinally disposed slots to retain the members in set position.

19'. A tunnel shield having an annular member projecting rearwardly fromv the tail thereof to co-operate with a tunnel lining back of the shield, another annular member projecting forwardly within the shield to cooperate therein with the lining, and means to withdraw water from the lower part of the space between said annular members.

20. A tunnel shield having an annular member projecting rearwardly from the tail thereof to co-operate with a tunnel lining back of the shield, another annular mem ber pro ecting forwardly within the shield to co-operate therein with the lining within the. shield, means to withdraw water from the lower part of the space between said annular members and means to withdraw air from said space. v

Signed at New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York this 10th day of November, A. D. 1919.

JOHN F. QBOURKE. 

